Wednesday, January 10, 2007

I Swear, Part III

The Slate and I are b'sheret*. Just check out their article on Thomas Jefferson and Islam.

Reasons I love it:
- it includes my favorite Jefferson fact, his cut-and-paste approach to the Bible.
-it told me something I didn't know: that this bible was printed and given to congressmen
-it mentions Marines. And the war with the Barbary pirates (from which we get the line "from the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli").
-Jefferson is from Virginia.
-it calls Jefferson an "infidel"

and last, but not least:

"Congress gave assent to the Treaty of Tripoli, negotiated by Jefferson's friend Joel Barlow, which stated roundly that "the government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion, as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen."

*b'sheret means soulmate

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Musselmen? Or Muscle Men? I think that our constitution and government has no problem with Muscle Men. In fact they are pretty hand to have around from time to time, especially since I'm a wimp.

Annie said...

Musselmen, which I presume means Muslims.

I doubt that you are a wimp, Amishav, you live in Colorado, home of the woodsy outdoorsmen.